KARACHI: Despite the order
of the Supreme Court to release the newsprint of Jang Group of
Newspapers, the Customs authorities at Karachi Port Trust (KPT)
delayed the release of trucks loaded with the reels of paper.

Workers of Jang Group,
including office-bearers of dailies Jang, The News and the Javed
Press employees unions, reached the KPT, West Wharf Gate, on
Thursday morning. However, the authorities of various departments
continued to decline the release of the trucks on one pretext or
the other, following the directives from Islamabad.

The editorial staff and
workers got enraged by the uncertain situation, but senior staff
members asked them to keep patience. However, the workers could
not control their emotions and started chanting slogans against
the delaying tactics being used the authorities. After hectic
talks between the office-bearers of the Jang Group unions and the
KPT Labour Union, the authorities allowed to bring the trucks
loaded with newsprint out of the gate of East Wharf -- the dues
of which including Customs duties and bills of entry had been
cleared five days ago.

The Supreme Court, while
hearing contempt of court plea on Wednesday, had ordered release
of 200 reels of newsprint immediately. However, when the
representative of Jang Group administration along with the
workers reached East Wharf at about 9:00 am, they came to know
that telephone calls of senior FIA officials from Islamabad were
being received. Interestingly, the whole process regarding the
release of paper, which could be completed within one-and-a-half
hour, could not be completed even till 5:00 pm. It was being felt
that the Jang Group would be denied paper on the day.

In line with the Supreme
Court decision, the custom agent of Jang Group after depositing
the required octroi for 200 reels of paper had got the bill of
entry signed by the traffic manager KPT. However, when the Jang
staffers reached the office of the deputy traffic manager with
three photocopies of the bill, they were asked to bring one more
photocopy. When the staffers again came with a total of four
photocopies, the official was not on his seat.

After making hectic
efforts, the official was contacted at West Wharf. The Jang staff
got another delivery order from him after furnishing the required
number of photocopies of the bill. After this, the assistant
traffic manager stopped the delivery on the pretext that
demurrage had to be paid. However, the Jang staff insisted that
as an undertaking had been given, there did not arise any reason
for stopping the delivery.

When the trucks loaded with
newsprint reached the KPT Gate, some personnel belonging to the
FIA and another government agency stopped the trucks. The
extraordinary delay further infuriated the Jang Group employees,
who were waiting in a large number outside the KPT Gate. They
chanted slogans in favour of the press freedom.

In the meantime, the
personnel of government agencies baton charged the Jang Group
employees. As the situation worsened, the Jang Group union
leaders contacted KPT CBA General Secretary Syed Jalil Shah.
After hectic negotiations, the situation was brought under
control and the trailer was released. Later, the Jang Group
employees along with journalists of other publications and
international news agencies went along with the reels to the
Javed Printing Press.

FIA,
police raid press, impound newsprint

By our
correspondent

KARACHI: Despite clear and
categorical orders of the Supreme Court, the FIA officials on
Thursday intercepted and took away a trailer loaded with 8 reels
of newsprint with them. The District West Police also took part
in the operation. Later, a large number of Jang Group employees
reached the Javed Press to foil the FIA's action.

When asked about the reason
for taking away the newsprint trailer, DSP KPT Rao Iqbal said,
"he was informed that armed employees of the Jang Group had
insulted the police officials and, therefore, the police
impounded the trailer." However, he failed to substantiate
his claim. In the meantime, SDM Dr Jamali reached the spot and on
his intervention the impounded newsprint truck was released.